Category Archives: Portable

Field Reports, News, Portable, QRP, QRP Radios, Reviews, Videos

My First POTA Activation with the New Elecraft KH1 Handheld QRP Transceiver!

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Yesterday, I posted some initial notes about the Elecraft KH1 and mentioned that I hoped to perform a POTA activation later in the day.

I’m pleased to report that I was able to fit in that activation!

I’m pushing this report and video to the front of the line because so many readers are eager to see how the KH1 performs during a field activation. Instead of focusing on the park, in this field report we’ll be taking a closer look at the KH1 and my initial impressions after performing a pedestrian mobile POTA activation with it.

Packing the KH1

I had a very hectic schedule yesterday and was on the road in/around Asheville from 8:00AM to 2:00PM before an opportunity opened to fit in an activation.

After a quick trip back to the QTH for lunch, I packed the Elecraft KH1 field kit in my EDC pack (a travel laptop bag).

Herein lies my first impression of the KH1: even though I knew I had packed the entire kit, I felt like I must have been leaving something behind.

Sounds funny, but even though I pride myself on making fully self-contained field radio kits, I felt like there must have be something else I needed. The KH1 field kit just seemed too small, too lightweight, and too compact to have included everything I needed for an activation.

Intellectually, I knew that it included everything needed, but I still did a mental inventory:

  1. Radio? Check.
  2. Antenna? Check.
  3. ATU? Check.
  4. Paddles? Check.
  5. Battery? Check.
  6. Counterpoise? Check.
  7. Log book and pencil? Check.

Hard to believe, but it was all there.

Trust me: the first time you take your KH1 to the field, I bet you’ll feel the same way I did.

Blue Ridge Parkway (K-3378)

Because I was so short on time, I decided to activate the Blue Ridge Parkway which is the most convenient POTA entity when I travel into Asheville from Swannanoa.

It was cold and blustery afternoon the afternoon of November 1, 2023. At my QTH, I checked the temperature and it was about 34F. I knew it would be a bit warmer in town which is a good 1,000 feet lower in elevation, but I still grabbed my gloves on the way out the door. Glad I did!

As I mention in the activation video below, I wasn’t exactly on my “A Game.” I had received a couple of vaccines the previous day and my body was a bit achy as if I was starting to get the flu. But, of course, I wasn’t. Still… I didn’t feel 100%.

I arrived on site and set up couldn’t have been easier:

  1. Open the KH1 pack
  2. Remove the KH1
  3. Attach the counterpoise and string out on ground
  4. Remove whip from clips and attach to top of KH1
  5. Extend whip
  6. Turn on radio
  7. Find a clear frequency
  8. Hit the ATU button for a 1:1 match!

We’re talking a 30 second process even for someone who moves slowly.

Important notes about my KH1

Keep in mind the following notes that are relevant at time of posting this field report (November 2, 2023):

  • I am waiting on a firmware update to add:
    • CW Message Memories
    • CW Decoding
    • Internal Logging
  • I purchased the full “Edgewood” package but I don’t yet have my logging tray/cover yet. Elecraft plans to ship this within the next few days.
  • My KH1 is a very early serial number because I’m in the volunteer testing group.

The KH1 Speaker

The KH1 internal speaker is located on the bottom of the radio between the AF Gain and Encoder knobs.

I consider the Elecraft KH1 speaker to be a “bonus” feature. The speaker is small (1.1 x 0.65”) and limited in fidelity.

I had planned to connect my Zoom digital recorder to the KH1 and record audio directly from the headphone port during this activation. Continue reading My First POTA Activation with the New Elecraft KH1 Handheld QRP Transceiver! →

Field Radio Kits, News, Portable, QRP, SOTA

Field Radio Kit Gallery: VE6VID’s KX2 SOTA Kit

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Many thanks to Malen (VE6VID) – Canada’s first SOTA Double Mountain Goat – who shares the following article about his portable field radio kit which will be featured on our Field Kit Gallery page. If you would like to share your field kit with the QRPer community, read this post.

Hello Thomas,

After being prompted by Vince (VE6LK) I am sending in my humble lightweight HF setup. The core of the setup is an Elecraft KX2 with a few goodies bolted onto it.

My station consists of KX2 with tuner, end plates with lexan cover, external 4s LiPo (1100mah) battery, power cable that is fused and has switched diodes (voltage reducer), an Amazon speaker and earbuds, a modified UV5R microphone (I’m an SSB guy for now), and a homebrew 65 ft EFHW. It’s all carried in a large water bottle case by Condor and weighs in at just under 3lbs. That case also fits an Icom IC-705 or the Elecraft KX3.

I have approximately 300 SOTA activations with this along with various masts. These activations range from easy 10 pointer strolls in Arizona and Manitoba to strenuous (over 1000 metres of gain) 4 pointers in the Alberta Rockies along with summits in VE5, VE7 lands tossed in as well.

By using old Altoids tins for storage for earbuds and the mic, everything fits into the case with the antenna laying on top. I ended up doing some trimming of the kite winder to fit with ease on top of the case.

Here is the basic setup laid out.

The battery will last me for two ten to fifteen minute activations without having to switch the diodes out of line.

When solo activating in VE6 land, I use the Amazon external speaker to make noise to let the local four legged critters know I am there.

After a few years of using a dipole on treed summits, which at times can be troublesome to setup, I built a 49:1 EFHW. When using the EFHW I typically set is up as an inverted V with a mast, invert L with trees. The antenna is a homebrew 49:1 using a non-standard size type 43 toroid, SOTAbeams antenna wire 65 ft long, bulkhead male BNC for connecting directly to the radio.

Trying to go compact, not necessarily light, I ditched the Elecraft mic for something with a small footprint, a mic that started life as an UV5R mic / earbud combo from Amazon . By replacing the cable with a Walmart 3.5mm TRS cable and adjusting the menu on the radio, it works great.

Take care,  Malen Vidler, VE6VID

Vince’s notes: Malen is Canada’s first SOTA Double Mountain Goat. You can check out his YouTube channel here. He is soft-spoken and deeply knowledgeable on SOTA and Amateur Radio. He is one of my go-to people when I don’t understand something in these areas.

New Products, News, Portable, QRP Radios

Update: Some Elecraft KH1 Initial Notes

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I’ve had the Elecraft KH1 in my hands now for a little over 24 hours. I had hoped to squeeze in a POTA activation yesterday, but the stars did not align. I had way too many dad responsibilities on Halloween.

I hope to correct that today with a POTA activation, if I can squeeze it into a hectic afternoon. It’ll be a cold, blustery one for sure!

Yesterday, I did fit in a couple of opportunistic contacts with the KH1 along with some morning on-the-air time in the home office while working on projects.

Since I’ve gotten so many questions about the KH1 since Monday, I thought I’d share a few random answers and notes here.

Does the KH1 work on a desktop?

Quite a few of you have written in to ask how well the KH1 works on a desktop. Some have mentioned that they like the size of the KH1, but don’t see themselves doing the pedestrian portable thing.

The answer is, the KH1 works really well as a small desktop transceiver.

In fact, yesterday morning, if I made contact with you, it was with the KH1 on my desktop while I was plugging away on spreadsheets in the office.

Elecraft designers cleverly positioned the AF Gain and Encoder knobs so that they’re accessible when the radio is lying flat on its back.

As you can see in the photo above, the key plug is positioned between the two knobs, but there’s enough separation there that you don’t feel your key cable is in the way while making adjustments. Of course, the rest of the controls are on the top, so they’re very accessible.

To be clear, I prefer using my KX2 or KX3 on a desktop (they were designed for this), but I feel the KH1 works quite well.

In fact, for the average 30-60 minute park activation where I’m connected to a wire antenna? I see myself using the KH1 on a tabletop.  I’ll operate pedestrian portable when doing SOTA and fitting in those little opportunistic and impromptu radio sessions.

Ergonomics/Features

The ergonomics of the KH1 are excellent. It was designed to fit in the palm of your hand, and it does this perfectly. Continue reading Update: Some Elecraft KH1 Initial Notes →

Field Radio Kits, News, Portable, QRP

Field Radio Kit Gallery: KK4Z’s TR-35 SOTA/POTA Field Kit

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Many thanks to Scott (KK4Z) who shares the following article about his portable field radio kit which will be featured on our Field Kit Gallery page. If you would like to share your field kit with the QRPer community, read this post.

Check out Scott’s field kit which he originally posted on his blog:

QRP at Home and SOTA Setup

I posted earlier that I was in a radio doldrum. Today I am slowly drifting back to fair skies and wind at my stern. My friend Thomas K4SWL recently posted on his blog a Field Kit Gallery showcasing operators’ various field kits: https://qrper.com/resources/field-radio-kits/ I thought I would post mine.

This is what I typically bring for a SOTA activation. I also have some general outdoor essentials like an iFAK, bug repellent, a compass, water, and of course snacks. For POTA, I am usually in my camper and bring a full-sized radio like my Elecraft K3/10. I also have an IC-705 which I like for those one-day POTA activations. The kit is pretty simple and gets the job done. Here is a list of components.

Also, I decided to take a break from everything else I have been doing and get on the air. I recently got my K3/10 back from the shop and thought I would give it a good workout at home so I wouldn’t have another calamity like I did a few months ago https://kk4z.com/2023/08/06/calamity-on-black-rock-mountain/. I set the radio up in the shack and started to make contacts. I had forgotten how far 10-watts CW can get you with a good antenna. At the home QTH, I run a 270′ OCF dipole with the apex up about 35′. I was hunting POTA activators and found I could work almost everyone I heard. I got as far north as Ontario, Canada, and as far west as TX, MO, and IA. This was still the morning and there weren’t many activators out yet. The K3/10 worked like a champ and purred like a kitten. Not hearing relays click during QSK CW is sublime. With the K3/10 cleared for field use, I have a couple of outings planned for it.

It feels good to be back in the saddle again. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and after being away from amateur radio, even for a short while, I appreciate it all the more. 72 de Scott

New Products, News, Portable, QRP

The Elecraft KH1 has arrived! (A few photos…)

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I’ve gotten a lot of email and comments asking when my KH1 would arrive and I’m happy to report that I picked it up this morning at the post office!

I ordered the “Edgewood” package, thus the KH1 with all of the trimmings. I was shipped the full radio kit save the logging tray/cover.

The logging tray had a last minute hardware change. Elecraft kindly shipped the radio first and the logging tray will follow in a few days.

I must say: the KH1 is even smaller than I imagined.

Quick video

I made a very short video as I opened the box for the first time. To be clear, it doesn’t likely meet the requirements of an “unboxing” video, because, frankly, I really don’t understand those types of videos.  It’s just me opening the box and holding the radio for the first time.

Click here to view on YouTube.

Hunting POTA!

I popped the included battery on my Elecraft fast charger and gave it a good 90 minutes of charge while I did some yard work.

Of course, I couldn’t wait to hop on the air, so I attached the whip antenna and the counterpoise, then hit the ATU button for a 1.2:1 match on 20 meters.

I then opened POTA.app and tuned to a couple of POTA activators.

 

First up was KK4WDP who was activating K-0784 in Washington DC.

 

I was still sorting out a few of the adjustments on the KH1 (keyer speed, sidetone level, AF gain, etc.) so I can’t say my exchange was “graceful.” (If you’re reading this, Josh, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it.)

I moved slightly off frequency to delineate my tone, which I think helped punch thorough. On this end, I could hear a couple of strong stations calling at the same time. DC is almost too close for 20 meters this time of day, but I received a 22N report. Thanks, Josh!

Next, I tuned to 14059 MHz where NR1D was activating K-1706.

I called and got a reply on the first try. I can’t remember the report he sent, but he was a solid 5NN. Thanks so much for working me, Kent!

Photos:

I haven’t seen a lot of up-close product photos yet, so I thought I’d share some here. Again, note these don’t include the logging tray, but I will post more photos when it arrives soon.

Stay tuned!

As I mention in the short video above, I’m going to push my KH1 videos to the front of the line.

Also, if you’ve ordered a KH1, you’ll need to check with Elecraft about the predicted ship date. I suspect demand exceeded their projections!

I’ll have more photos and full field reports hopefully starting this week. Stay tuned!

72,

Thomas (K4SWL)

Field Reports, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, SOTA, Videos

Kneeboard SOTA: INSANE DX with my smallest, most compromised antenna!

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I walked out of my front door on the morning of Friday, September 29, 2023, knowing I was going to do an activation, but I had no idea where that might be.

I certainly had no idea it would be one of my most memorable activations ever–!

I knew I had a five hour window to play radio somewhere not too far from my daughters’ classes near the Asheville Airport.

I really wanted to do a SOTA (Summits On The Air) activation, but I’d pulled a muscle in my back and was nursing it a bit.  I knew that an invigorating hike on a long, gnarly trail was not really in the books.

After dropping off my daughters, I sat in the parking lot running through the activation options in my head. There were 5 or so parks within an easy drive. I knew a POTA activation probably made the most sense since it wouldn’t require hiking or carrying a heavy pack.

Then again, I really wanted to do a SOTA activation–the weather was so amazing, I didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity to take in a summit.

I decided that if I took a minimal amount of gear and activated an “easy” summit, then maybe I could get away with a little SOTA without hurting my back. I thought this might be the perfect excuse to do a SOTA activation pairing my Elecraft KX2 and AX2 antenna. I had a lightweight chair and my kneeboard, so in theory, I could set up anywhere on the summit with my entire station on my knee.

Next, I only needed to find the right summit and one came to mind almost immediately…

Black Balsam Knob (W4C/CM-005)

The last time I activated Black Balsam was with my buddy, Monty, in 2021. I remembered that it was an easy hike with stunning vistas of Pisgah Forest (K-4510) and the Blue Ridge Parkway (K-3378).

This it the Mountain Ash (Sorbus Americana) with bright red fruit!

I drove 55 minutes to the trailhead and was happy that there weren’t too many cars in the parking area yet that morning. Black Balsam is one of the most popular summits on the Blue Ridge Parkway, so sometimes it can be a challenge to find a parking space…especially with stunning weather like this!

The hike was very pleasant and my GoRuck GR1 backpack was pretty light.

I knew I’d chosen the right summit hike.

The views from the Art Loeb Trail do not disappoint. (Click images to enlarge.)

In fact, if anything, I wish this hike were just a little longer because I enjoyed the scenery so much!

It’s only 3/4 of a mile one way, so it goes by quickly. Still… it’s why I chose this particular summit. I knew it would be gentle on my back (and it was).

Once I reached the summit, I started searching for a spot to set up. There were quite a lot of folks on the summit that morning, so I looked for a site just slightly off of the main trail.

I found an area on a side trail that provided just enough room to set up my folding chair without disturbing the flora.
Continue reading Kneeboard SOTA: INSANE DX with my smallest, most compromised antenna! →

Articles, Field Reports, Guest Posts, News, Portable, QRP, SOTA, Travel

Bob pairs the KX2 and AX1 for ultralight travel-friendly SOTA in Greece

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Many thanks to Bob (K4RLC) for the following guest post:

Field Trip to Greece: September & October 2023

 Bob (K4RLC)

A trip to Greece had been on the bucket list for my YL Alanna K4AAC and me for several years. In fact, we had to postpone the trip twice due to COVID. An opportunity arose to take a unique trip to Greece with the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, rather than a more touristy cruise. It’s always good to have fellow Tar Heels around, to share experiences.

This trip involved a few days in Athens, seeing the classic archeologic sites such as the Parthenon and the Acropolis, as well as exploring the packed downtown markets, such as Plaka and Monasteraki Square. Then the group would travel to the South of Greece on the Peloponnesian Peninsula staying in a fishing village called Gytheio, founded in the 5th Century BC, and port to the Spartan warriors.   From there, there would be day trips to historic sites. These included a trip to Areopoli, where the Greek revolution against the Turks started in 1821. Another trip would be to Monemvasia, an island fortress founded in 50 AD.  Other trips would be to Mystras (the last outpost of the Byzantine Empire) and ancient Sparta. On the return trip to Athens for departure, the tour would stop in Ancient Corinth, which had been civilized by the Greeks by the 8th century BCE and where the Apostle Paul preached ethics to this Sin City of ancient Greece.

As I had taken the KX1 and KX2 to various places overseas, I, of course, wanted to operate portable radio  in Greece. Past treasured memories included enjoyment operating with the KX1 on Suomenlinna Island, in the Bay of Finland, and with the KX2 in various Caribbean sites, including St. Lucia in 2019.

One of the first things I did was to consult the SOTA Summits Database for peaks we might be near. In the Peloponnesian (PL) region, there are about 180 sites, many of which had never been activated. Once we got there, we found out why. The peninsula is extremely mountainous, with steep barren peaks up to 4000 feet, rising quickly from the shore. In fact, talking with Cristos, our guide in Areopoli and a local young man, he said that he and his friends would hike about 6 to 8 hours to a summit, then spend the night in a cave before returning home. Obviously, this would not fit in with our somewhat rigid tour schedule.

Olive tree grove & Taygetos Mountains
SOTA map of Peloponnesian Peninsula with Gytheio circled

I was very excited to see that Mt. Mystras, where we would visit, also was a SOTA site (SV/PL-012), as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

I found it curious that Mystras had not been activated since 2017. I found the name of the last ham who had activated this site, and took a chance of sending him an email at his QRZ address. I was very pleased to get a nice reply from Cristos (a common name in Greece, named after Saint, or “Agios” Christopher), who said that he lived in the north of Greece some distance away and had not been back. I asked him if he had to seek permission to activate there. Cristos said they just didn’t ask anybody, but that I should be “careful of the guards” as I’m not a local.

I took his caution under advisement and reached out to the Greek Radio Union. I received a very nice email from Takis, Vice President of the Greek Radio Union. He advised me that my call sign on the Peloponnesian peninsula would be SV3/K4RLC/P. That is, in Greece the geographic location of operation still matters, while it doesn’t in the United States. And I also should use the designator P, identifying as a portable station. Takis went on to write that radio operation in many the archaeological sites is now “prohibited” by the Greek Ministry of Culture and Antiquities. I filed that away for consideration.

The tour was culturally enriching, taking in the incredibly long and complex history of each ancient site we explored. Just as memorable, we were extremely well fed with local cuisine, including fresh fish caught that day, especially eating by the water in Limeni on the West Coast of the Mani Peninsula. I have to admit we ate spanakopita at least once for 10 consecutive days (it’s even served at breakfast)!

The trip to Mystras also included a trip to ancient Sparta, civilized in the 6th and 5th centuries BC. We were fortunate to have an archaeologist who is currently excavating Sparta as a guide to the fascinating history here. On the trip to Mystras, three miles to the west of Sparta, the bus stopped at the tavern where we would return to eat later that afternoon, for a pre-tour bathroom break. Bathrooms are few and far between in ancient sites, and most of our group could be considered geriatric and needed proximity to a bathroom. Mystras  is a 682 meter sharp  peak over the town (see photo). Continue reading Bob pairs the KX2 and AX1 for ultralight travel-friendly SOTA in Greece →

Field Radio Kits, News, Portable, QRP

Field Radio Kit Gallery: K8ZFJ’s TR-35 SUV Field Kit

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Many thanks to Randy (K8ZFJ) who shares the following article about his portable field radio kit which will be featured on our Field Kit Gallery page. If you would like to share your field kit with the QRPer community, read this post. Check out Randy’s field kit:

Penntek TR-35 SUV Field Kit

Hello Thomas,

I built my field kit around the venerable Penntek TR-35, mounted in a Pelican-like case, including the

A single 3S LiPo battery with Anderson Powerpoles powers the TR-35 and keyer. All 53 , Rhode Island POTA parks were activated using no more than 4 watts.

The homebrewed EFHW antennas and feedlines are stored separately in an old camera bag. One End-Fed Half-Wave (40/30/20) uses the SOTAbeams Pico traps , another is a linked 20/17 meter variety. Both use stacked FT50-43 toroids to construct the ununs, mounted on plastic perfboard like winders.

The antennas have been deployed as slopers, supported by a 32′ telescoping fiberglass mast and mounted in wood and PVC holder that slips into the trailer hitch. This approach takes up minimal real-estate, is easy to set up and the operating position is either from the rear hatch or inside the vehicle.

72’s de k8zfj/Randy

Field Radio Kits, News, Portable, QRP

Field Radio Kit Gallery: N1KDO’s Elecraft KX3 Field Kit

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Many thanks to Jeff (N1KDO) who shares the following article about his portable field radio kit which will be featured on our Field Kit Gallery page. If you would like to share your field kit with the QRPer community, read this post. Jeff writes:

N1KDO KX3 Field Kit

I like to take my KX3 with me on occasional travel adventures.

The complete field kit (click image to enlarge).

What’s in the kit? Well, that depends, but it is usually this stuff…

Clockwise from top center:

Readers: Check out Jeff’s webpage for more detail about components in his field kits!

Antenna Tuners, Antennas, Homebrew, How To, News, Portable, QRP

BD4LB’s Simple Homemade L-Match for Field Operating

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Many thanks to HUAQIANG Gu (BD4LB) who shares the following information about his homemade L-Match. Note that BD4LB doesn’t speak English, and I don’t speak Chinese, so the following was machine-translated via Google Translate:

Homemade L-Match for Field Operating

by HUAQIANG Gu (BD4LB)

L-MATCH has a simple structure and is easy to make.
It is mainly composed of a coil and an adjustable capacitor.

  1. The coil is made of copper wire with a diameter of 1.8mm, and the outer diameter of the coil is 50mm.
  2. The capacitance of the thin film adjustable capacitor is 0pF–200pF.
  3. When using, a balanced ground wire needs to be installed.
    (Different bands, multiple quarter-wave length wires, and together. I use a row of wires. For example: two balanced ground wires 10 meters and 5 meters long, respectively 40 meters band and 20 meters band balanced ground wire.)

After many outdoor communications, I adjusted the end-fed antenna. The length of the radiator was 10 meters, which was appropriate.

One end of it is hung from the top of a 6-meter-long fiberglass fishing rod. On the other end, connect the red binding post of L-match.

Balance the ground wire and connect it to the black binding post. Spread it out on the ground.

The L-match is placed on the ground and connected to the HS1B or KVE60C antenna analyzer using a one meter long 50-3 coaxial cable. (This reduces the length and weight of the coaxial cable.)
When using an inverted V antenna, the length of the coaxial cable needs to be at least 8 meters.

My outdoor communication is mainly on the top of a hill in the park, or on the beach by the sea.

On the beach, there is plenty of space. In addition to setting up end-fed antennas, you can also set up inverted V antennas.

On the top of the mountain in the park, the space is limited, and it is difficult to deploy the 20-meter-long antenna oscillator. Only 10-meter end-fed antennas can be used.

After fixing the fishing rod, installing the antenna radiator and balanced ground wire, first connect the antenna analyzer KVE60C.
Use copper alligator clips to clip on the coil and adjust the adjustable capacitance to minimize the standing wave ratio of 7.023 MHz.
(Change different coil taps, adjust the adjustable capacitor, and try several times.)

I carry a compass to adjust the transmitting direction of the end-fed antenna. I won’t get lost.

The actual communication effect is quite good.

In the 40-meter band, it is suitable for short-distance communication within 800 kilometers.

In the 20-meter band, it is suitable for communication within 1000-2000 kilometers.